Activist Says “You Cannot Erase Italian Americans” at Chicago Rally Over 3 Removed Columbus Statues

Monday is Columbus Day, and some activists are demanding the city provide answers about the process that led to the removal of three statues of Christopher Columbus, and trying to find out if they can be put back on public display.

Back in 2020, then-Mayor Lori Lightfoot had three monuments to Columbus taken down amid massive social justice protests. A commission charged with reviewing the issue then affirmed the decision.

On Sunday, the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans and other groups and residents gathered in Arrigo Park on the Near West Side to call for the return of the statues, a “transparent review” of the decisions surrounding their removal, and an explanation of what legal options might be available to get them mounted again.

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The group called on President Trump to bring national attention to the issue of Columbus statues in Chicago. It noted that a reconstructed Columbus statue has been brought to the White House. Last week, Mr. Trump added a statue of Columbus to the White House Rose Garden and told reporters he wants to “resurrect” the explorer’s legacy.

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